Life's Falling Apart
by Caitlinn
Summary: The counter part to Harry Potter and Dreams of a Life Now Past.


"Harry! You're a stupid git, you know that?!" Ron yelled playfully at Harry from the other side of the Quidditch Pitch. Hermione watched as Harry closed in on the Snitch. He and Ron had been fooling around and drug her into the mess.  
  
`Just wait until they get caught...' Her mind thought maliciously. She looked up from her book to see Harry slam into a wall as he tried to capture the Snitch.  
  
Ron and Hermione rushed over to where he hit and watched the broom fall to the ground with a thud. "Oh my God..." Ron whispered. "Where'd he go?"  
  
It was one of the greatest mysteries of Hogwarts' history. The disappearance of Harry Potter. Of course they checked all the logical places.  
  
They broke down the door of Voldemort's house and demanded that he release Harry. A quite startled Voldemort, former villain of the magical Great Britain, had been drinking tea by the fire when they barged in.  
  
They checked with the Dursleys. Imagine the looks on their faces as fourteen witches and wizards from various societies marched up their street. Though the magic folk got nothing from those dirty Muggles.  
  
Every where they looked was absent of Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Hogwarts was in a state of direr desperation. No one ate or slept. The school was in shambles. To tell the truth, the only people happy were Malfoy and his little band. They were promptly given a detention.  
  
Ron sat in his Potions class trying to concentrate. Snape had given him a week's detention already and he hadn't noticed. Hermione had a similar look on her face. One of longing, misery, melancholy. The school was swarmed by news reporters and the like.  
  
***  
  
The school had returned to normal for the most part. Hermione cried herself to sleep though and her grades slipped. She read less on trivial things and only read on things that might be able to bring Harry back.  
  
Ron was another matter. He didn't want to think of the loss and tried to keep busy. He and Hermione drifted apart. He joined up with some more popular Gyffindors and studied a lot more. He was soon a top student and the most popular person at school, except for his friend... Harry.  
  
Ron had trouble even admitting he had once known Harry. He knew if he did he wouldn't able to keep his feelings locked up any more. He missed Harry so much...  
  
A week passed and than two and three. Harry was still missing. Soon after the third week things began to fall apart, literally.  
  
The Common Rooms were demolished. There was no way in or out. When they disappeared everyone in or near them disappeared too.  
  
Sickness spread through the school. When the person died though, they didn't die... they disappeared.  
  
"I don't understand!!" Hermione slammed a book closed, frustrated. Ron sat next to her, trying to make her think more clearly. They had become friends again and blocked everyone else out of their little circle. "You'll get it Herm. I know you will." His words didn't convince either of them.  
  
Then the news came. The awful, wonderful news. Harry had been found... But not alive. Harry Potter was dead. Killed by a poison of some sort. Fingers were pointed at every reasonable and unreasonable suspect.  
  
Meanwhile the school still crumbled beneath their feet. Dumbledore ordered all children be sent home except for Hermione and Ron. He ordered them to his office. No one could explain the goings-on but they knew it wasn't good.  
  
Dumbledore closed his office door gently behind the two children, now eighteen years old and no longer children. "Sit." They did as they were told and sat in two chairs that were set out.  
  
"Do either of you know what's going on?" He asked half aware of their questioning eyes. "No..." Hermione answered. "Good to hear. I didn't think you were that smart." Dumbledore caught and held their serious eyes with his laughing ones. He poured himself and the other two some wine. "Here. Drink up." The two looked at him oddly but drank what was put before them. "Would you like to know?" "Know what?" Ron asked stupidly. "What's going on around here." Dumbledore replied. "Of course!" Hermione yelled.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes were serious now. "Poor little Harry..." He muttered. "Is not dead." Hermione and Ron's mouths dropped. "Wha-what did you say?" Hermione stammered. "That body was a decoy for the rest of the students. I thought maybe things would go back to normal after that. But they didn't. No, my young friends. Harry Potter lives... but he is forgetting." "Forgetting what!!?" Ron yelled. "Why, my dear boy, he's forgetting us."  
  
"That's it, you old fool!! I want some answers that I know you have!!" Ron stood up and grabbed the older man by the robe. "Well now, Ron. I just told you the answer. Harry Potter has gone back to his own world." "What do you mean!?" "Harry was never meant to be here. We are, to put it bluntly, his dream. He dreamed all of us. And now, since he's forgetting, we are disappearing." "No.. no... that's not true... how can it be... no..." Hermione whispered. Ron's grip lessened. He stared Hermione and began to cry like she was.  
  
"Ron. Hermione. I need you two to be brave for him and for yourselves." Dumbledore had tears streaming down his rosy cheeks. "What do you mean?" Ron tried to say it with force but there was none left in him now. "I'm going away now, you two. Be brave for Harry, all right? Keep your chins up." And with that... Dumbledore disappeared forever.  
  
The school was crashing down even more now. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and ran out of the building with her. They ran into the forest but Ron's hand slipped and he let go of Hermione. They were dragged away from each other and Ron found himself in an emptiness. He looked around him slowly. He saw Harry and ran to him.  
  
"Harry. Harry wake up." "Ron?" "Yeah. It's me. How's it going, buddy?" "It's awful. I miss you guys so much." "Hey don't cry. I'm here now, aren't I?" He tried to sound brave but the attempt was failing. "Yeah." "Harry, I came to tell you something." "What is it?"  
Hermione came up behind Ron. "Hi Harry." "Hermione!" Harry yelled. Ron looked at her and smiled weakly. Harry rushed over and tried to hug her, but she stopped him. "Harry listen to what Ron has to say. I'll see you in your dreams." And with that, she disappeared. Tear emptied themselves onto Ron. `She's gone... Like I will be soon...' He thought.  
"Where'd she go?" Harry asked, confused. Ron shrugged. "I guess where everyone else went." "What?" "Harry I came to tell you good bye." `I'm going to die before I get this out...' "What? Why?" "Harry, it's been great. I loved every moment of our lives when you were here. But," "But what?!" Harry interrupted.  
"But I have to go. I can't stay. I can't tell you what's going on either. Good bye Harry. You were, no, are the greatest friend I'll ever have." Ron couldn't hold back the tears any more. He let them out as he turned away from Harry.  
"Ron, what are you talking about?" "I'll see ya later, Harry. Try to be happy." Ron smiled tightly over his shoulder and then disappeared as well. 


End file.
